Playeb piano



Jue 1 1926. D. BOONE -s'r Al.

PLAYER PIANO F'led July 3. 1920 4 sheets-sheet 1 anze Sav er? INVENTOR ATTORNEY f D. BOONE ET Al.-

June l 1926.

PLAYER PIANO Filed July s. 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 lzl. Ul Ul Ulli.

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INVENTOR l ATTORNEY June l 1926. A l,587,365

- D. BOONE .ET AL,

PLAYER PIANO Filed July 3. 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet E @man INVENTOR l wlvnzssgm AITORNE'Y June 1 1926. 1,587,365l

D. BOONE Er AL,

PLAYERPIANO Filed July 1920 4 Smets-sheet 4' 71. @gym 'fb La N a 46 4252 50 54a 42.48 53 4.8, o3 43- Patented 1, 1921i.

UNITED STATES DANIEL BOONE .AND- DANIEL .SEVIEB OF MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA.

PLAYER PIANO.

Application led July 8,

-This invention relates to improvements in player piano mechanismlv and has for its object the provision of means controlled by the 'note sheet for regulating the tempo throughout the playing of each individual selection, the means operating to set the tempo initially and also to accelerate or retard the speed of playing from time to time as may be called vfor by the particular selection.

An important and more specific object is the provision of a tempo regulating device which acts upon the pneumatic governors which control the speed ofthe motor.

Another object is the provision of a control device of this character which will be comparatively simple and inexpensive in manufacture, which involves but a few parts,I and which is capable of installation upon -plyer pianos of different makes.

Ti'th the above and other objects and advantages in view the invention consists inA the details of construction to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whichzv Figurel is an elevation of a portion of the interior mechanism 'of a player piano equipped with my device,

Figure 2 is a p an view of our attachment, Figure 3 is an end elevation thereof, Figure 4 is a vertical section through the control bellows,

Figure 5 is an enlarged detailsection onA the line 5-'5 of Figure 4,

Figure 6 is a plan/view of the control valve box,

Figure 7 1s a vertical section therethrough on the 1in@l 7 7 of Figure e,

Figure 8 is a cross sectional view on the line 8-8 of Figure 6,

Figure 9 is a cross sectional view o n the line 9-9 of Figure 6,

Figure 10 is a-longitudinal horizontal section on the line 10,-10 of Figure 8, Figure 11 is a fpagmentary plan view of the note sheet. ky.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 101fdesignates the key board of a player piano of a conventional t pe, and 11 indicates the box .or casing for t e'pneumatics which control and effect the operation of the keys and hammers. This mechanism is not shown as it forms no part of the present invention but it is of course understood that the key operating vmecha- .located generally in advance of the key 192o. ser1a1 ivo. 393,824.

nism is controlled from the tracker bar 17 which ,is mounted 4within the spool box 15 and which is formed with the' usual perforations with which register perforations in the -note sheet. The winding spool 9 or the note sheet is mounted in the spool box 15 and is driven by the usual motor designated broadly by the numeral 8. The spool upon which the note sheet is initially wound is not shown as it is well known that this spool is held within the spool box above the spool 9. The transmission from the motor to the spools of course includes the usual rewind mechanism for rewinding the note sheet from the spool 9 on to its carryin 'spool' subsequent to the playing ofthe se ection.

The numeral 13 designatesxthe bellows operated in the usual manner and'connected by pipes 14 with the motor speed governors indicated broadly by the numeral 12, the latter being connected with the motor by a conduit 12a. The specific construction o these governors is not shown though in many instances the governor mechanism consists of a valve slidably mounted withinan air chest for controlling the degree of suction exerted on the motor and thus regulating the speed thereof. The action of the governors is regulated by a rod 39 which is ordinarily moved by means of a lever which is board for convenient manipulation bythe operator.

In carrying'out the present invention such control lever is unnecessary,hence it is not illustrated. In effecting this control we provide a control valve msisting of a body 18 which may be constructed, and in actual practice must be constructed of several pieces fastened together by any preferred means. This valve body is provided internally wlth a chamber 42 into which leads a passage 43 .with which is connected a tube 19 leading to the bellows 13 whereby to create suctionwithin the chamber. Within the body are chambers 44 and 44a leading into the cham.-

-ber 42 and covered by diaphragms 45 and 45a. These valve chambers 44 communicate with the suction chamber 42 through as sages 46 and 46a and leadin into tese: chambers 44 and 44* are smal passages 47 and 47 a from which extend tubes 20 and 20 which lead to auxiliary holes 21 and 21 in the ends of the tracker bar, these holes being located outwardly of the perforations provided for controlhngthe action of the pneumatics which effect playing of the piano. The valve body 18 is formed with small chambers 48 and 48 which are located at the side of the chamber 42 opposite from that side where the chambers 44 and 44 are located and these chambers 48 and 48n communicate with the atmosphere through ports 49 and 49a. Internally the body 18 is provided with holes 50 and 50a which lead from the chamber 42 to the respective chambers 48 and 48a at the centers of the latter. The body is also formed wit-h passages 51 and 511 which communicate with the holes 50 and 50a respectively and from which lead tubes 25 and 25n which are connected with the bellows structure to be described.

Slidable loosely through the holes 50 and 5()a are valve stems 52 and 52a which have their ends engagin the diaphragme 45 and 45EL respectively. n these stems are valve disks 53 and 53a and 54 and 54a which are spaced as shown. This type of valve detail is well known in player plano construction.

Mounted on the box 11 is a double bellows 22 carried by suitable brackets 23. Both sides or members of the double bellows are connected by side bars 24 so that both sides must move simultaneously regardless of which ,is exhausted. The .movement of the bellows is limited by adjustable stops 26.

In detail, the bellows structure consists of va, central partition 55 upon opposite sides of which are located hingedly mounted leaves 56 to which the side bars'24 are connected. The bellows further includes the usual flexible covering 57. B the specific structure illustrated it will he seen that there are thus provided two bellows mem bers 58 and 58a. The partition 55 is formed with passages 59 and 59;L communicating respectively with the bellows members 58 and 58a and the tubes 25 and 25*L leadinto y these passages 59 and 59a respectively.

A Connected with the leaf 56 of the double v a fixed sca e 36 mounted -at the lower portion of the spool box at the customary location.

The note sheet 6l is formed at its oppositeVedges with erforations 41 'and 41u which register with the openings 21 and 21n respectively in the tracker bar 17 These openings at each side are arranged in alternation, when they are provided at both sides and it will be observed that the openings arearranged in groups or series, the length of the series, or the number of holes in each group depending upon the tempo of the selection to be played.

It is to be noted that the holes in the note sheet for governing the initial settin of the tempo are located at the very end ot the note sheet, i. e. in advance of the perforations 62 which control the operation of the pneumatics for effecting laying.

The operation is as fol ows:

When the player piano'is in operation and the note sheet is being drawn over the tracker bar, it is well known that there is suction through all of the perforations in the trackerbar. Owing to the fact that the control valve device is connected with the bellows through the tube 19, it will be apparent that there will be suction in the chamber 42 and owing to the provision of the passages 46 and 46, there will also be suction in the chambers 44 and 44a, passages 47 and 47, andtubes 20 and 20a which lead to the holes 21 and 2l in the tracker bar. Assuming that there are no holes 41 or 41 registering with the holes 21 and 21, the holes 21 and 21Y are of course closed or covered by the note sheet and the suction through the pipe y19, chamber 42 and passages 46 and 46% will exhaust the chambers 44 and 44a so that the diaphragme 45 and 45a will be concaved thereinto, the valves being in the position shown in Figures 8, 9 and 10. As there is suction within the chamber 42 atmospheric pressure through the passages 49 and 491 and within the chambers 48 and 482l will hold the valvesin the position shown, the disks 53 and 53a seating against the inner walls of the chambers 48 and 48a and the disks 54 and 54a being spaced away from the wall of the chamber 42. The chamber 42 is then in communication with the passages 51 and 51a through the holes 50 and 50a and suction is present through the tubes 25 and 25L and consequently in both sides or chambers 58 and. 58a of the double bellows. The bellows will then remain in its neutral or intermediate position and the rod 27 will be in such position that the pointer 35 will be at the center of the scale 36 and the rod 39 in such position that vthe governors will regulate the speed of the motor to its intermediate degree. Assuming that a series of holes 4l passes over the hole 21 in the tracker bar, the suction in ythe chamber 44 will be relieved as air enters through the tube 2O leading from the hole 21 in the tracker bar. The dia hrag'm 45 will then iatten out and the va ve will be shifted from the position shown in Figure 8 to its other position with the disk 54 closing the hole 5() and the disk 53 uncovering the hole 50. The hole 50 then communicates with the chamber 48 which communicates to l the atmosphere to the passage 49 and the bellows member 58 will expand as atmos- "pheric air will enter it.- As this section of the bellows expands, the other section 58 contracts owing to the provision of the wide bars 24. The result is that the rod 27 `will shift to the left, causing corresponding .movement of the rod 89 connected therewith and operation of the governors 12 tolboth edges of the sheet are provided with.

@the perforations as indicated at the lower .end of Figure l1. In actual practicethe sheet is formed at its edges with groups or ,series of perforations arranged for example :as illustrated in Figure 11, so that the two bellows members will `alternately expand and contract and control of the speed of the motor in accordance with the proper tempo for the individual selection. The

solid line at the center of Figure 11 will give an indication as to the changes in speed :according to the arrangement of the holes 41 and 41a; It should also be mentioned that as the automatic control is operated the pointer 35 moves over the scale 36 so that the performer or operator may know at a glance the tempo at which the selection is being played. In case the perforations are at both edges of the sheet so that the intermediate tempo can be maintained, the pertorations are arranged in alternation as .structed and easily installed automatic shown.

From vthe foregoing description and a ,study of the drawings it will be apparent ythat we have thus provided a simply contempo control device which is adapted for use in connection with player pianos of different makes or types and which is of such 'construction that the individual selection will be played automatically in strict accordance with the proper tempo instead of the niatter being left to the judgment of a perhaps unskilled operator. The quality of the playin is thus bound to be improved.

Whi e We have shown and described the preferred embodiment of the invention it is of course to be understood that we reserve the right to make such changes in the form, construction and arrangement of parts as will not depart from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claim.

Having thus described our invention. wev

claim:

In a mechanical player piano, the combination with the motor and its speed gov ernor, o' a rod connected with the governor, a double bellows connected with said rod, a control valve device including two valves controlling Ipassage of air through the re-` spective members of the double bellows, and

means for controlling said valves from a v tracker by means of a perforated note sheet, said control valve device comprising a body formedwith a large chamberghaving a tube connection with the bellows of the layer, said body being formed with pairs-otp chambers located at opposite sides of the small large chamber, diaphragms covering one I pair of small chambers, the body being formed with passages leading into the diaphragm covered chambers and connected with holes at the ends of the tracker, the body being further formed with passages establishing communication between the diaphragm covered chambers and the large chamber and being formed with other passages establishing communication between the other pair of small chambers and the atmosphere, the body being yformed with holes establishing communication between said last named pair of chambers and the large chamber and formed with passages communicating with said holes and having tube communication with the respective sections of the double bellows, and a air of valve members including stems s idable through said holes and bearing against said diaphragms, and further including pairs of disks for selectively cutting off communication between the large chamber and the holes or the last named small chambers and the holes.

In testimony whereof we aix our signa.,-v 

